MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the final game of a three-game series at San Francisco. Wraps up the first stop on a three-city, 10-game road trip. Following today’s game, the trip continues with four games at Colorado, and wraps up back in California with three games at Los Angeles (AL). Are coming off a six-game homestand in which Miami took the final of three vs. Cincinnati before sweeping a three-game series from Washington.
- Miami is in a current stretch of 13 straight days with games until their next off day on Memorial Day (May 29).
- Are looking to win their first series in San Francisco since 2017, when they swept a 3g series.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami returned to the win column with a 1-0 victory at San Francisco. LHP Braxton Garrett tossed 6.1 scoreless innings, holding the Giants to just 1 hit (to the first batter) and 1 walk while striking out 8. Retired his final 15 batters faced. RF/LF Garrett Hampson (0x3) reached on an error to start the eighth, advanced on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a single by 3B Jon Berti (1×3) for the game’s lone run. LF Bryan De La Cruz (1×4) extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
LUZARD(N)O
LHP Jesus Luzardo has held opponents to one or no runs in four of his nine starts this season. Is one off the lead for most such starts in the NL this season (Stroman, Smyly, Oviedo, Gallen, Elder each with 5).
UNEARNED SHUTOUT
The lone run scored in yesterday’s 1-0 shutout win was unearned, marking only the second time in franchise history the Marlins won a game 1-0 on an unearned run – also Sept. 24, 2001 vs. Atlanta (E2 allowed Preston Wilson to score).
- Yesterday’s win was Miami’s second shutout of the season – both coming in the form of 1-0 wins. Prior to this year, hadn’t won a 1-0 game since Aug. 5, 2020 at Baltimore.
CLOSE CALLS
The Marlins have had each of their last seven games decided by two runs or less. Each of their last three road games have been one-run contests. Overall, Miami is 15-2 (.882) in games decided by one run, the best such win pct. in the Majors. The 17 one-run contests are tied for the fourth most among Major League teams. Miami went 24-40 in one-run games in 2022.
FINISH STRONG
The Marlins have won each of their last four series finales and six of their last seven. Miami is 3-0 this season in the third game of a three-game series when splitting the first two contests. Have won their last three Sunday contests.
NINER ON THE DRUMS
On Monday, prior to the Panther’s home game – Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals – Marlins alum and Special Assistant to the Chairman and Principal Owner Jeff Conine will bang the ceremonial drum at FLA Live Arena, joining local luminaries such as Udonis Haslem during the Cats’ 2023 playoff run.
DE LA CRUZIN’
OF Bryan De La Cruz extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games yesterday. Marks the longest streak by a Marlins player this season and the second-longest hitting streak in the National League this year behind PHI Bryson Stott’s 17-gamer to start the season. Over the 14-game span, is batting .364 (20×55) with 9 runs scored, 5 doubles, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 3 walks, and a 1.015 OPS. His 11 multi-hit games rank 2nd on the team behind only Arraez’s 17.
- Has hits in 15 consecutive starts dating back to May 2.
- Matches the longest streak by a Marlin since Garrett Cooper’s 14-game streak from June 6-23, 2019. The last Marlins hitter to have a longer streak was Dee Strange-Gordon (17 G, Aug. 27-Sept. 14., 2017).
FISH OUT OF WATER
Miami stands at 24-22 through the club’s first 46 games. Marks the latest in a non-shortened season the club has owned a winning record since August of 2017. MIami is 17-5 in games in which they steal at least one base, and have gone 10-2 in games with multiple steals.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez leads MLB with his .387 batting avg. (60×155) and a .442 OBP and is tied for 3rd with 60 hits. Is also tied for 3rd with 17 multi-hit gms (Acuna & Freeman, 19 each, have more). Has struck out 9 times in 172 PA (.052 K/PA), the lowest mark in MLB among qualified batters.
- Is the highest avg. through a players first 42 gms to start a season since Cody Bellinger’s .409 avg. through his first 42 gms with the Dodgers in 2019. Only Dee Gordon (68) has more hits for a Marlins player through his first 42 games of a season.
- With two hits on Wednesday, reached the 500-hit plateau, becoming the seventh active player to reach 500 hits within their first 428 career gms. Joined Bo Bichette (407), Mookie Betts (408), Mike Trout (423), Jose Altuve (426), Whit Merrifield (426), and Jose Abreu (428).
- Is batting a Major League-best .420 (29×69) on the road this season. Has hit safely in 16 of 18 games away from Miami.
DANCING ON A THIN LINE
Thus far in 2023, Miami is 23-3 when limiting opponents to 4 runs or less and has gone 1-19 when allowing 5 or more runs.
PODER SOLER
DH/OF Jorge Soler has hit safely in 11 of his last 15 games, including 4 multi-hit efforts. Has reached base in 13 of the contests since May 4. Has collected 6 home runs and 14 RBI in this span.
- 7 of his 11 home runs this season have tied the game or given the Marlins the lead.
- Has homered in 6 of Luzardo’s 9 starts this season, including 2 multi-HR games. Is batting .457 with 8 HR, 18 RBI, 10 runs scored and a 1.701 OPS in games started by Luzardo this year.
HE’S HERE AND HE’S PERFECT
RHP Eury Perez made his second Major League start Wednesday vs. Washington, earning his first career win after going 5.0 innings in which he held the Nats to 1 run on 3 hits with 6 strikeouts. Became the youngest starter in MLB to win a game since LAD’s Julio Urias at 19 years and 321 days on June 28, 2016. Marks the fourth-youngest pitcher to earn a win in the Majors since 1993, behind SEA’s Felix Hernandez (19 yrs and 123 days on Aug. 9, 2005), Urias, and LAD’s Edwin Jackson (20 yrs and 0 days on Sept. 9, 2003).
- Made his Major League debut on May 12 at 20 years and 27 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in Marlins history. The previous youngest pitcher was Jose Fernandez, who debuted at 20 years and 250 days.
- Became the second youngest player (position / pitcher) to debut with the Marlins in club history, behind only INF Edgar Renteria who debuted at 19 years and 277 days.
- Became the youngest Dominican-born starting pitcher to debut in MLB, and the third-youngest DR-born pitcher (reliever / starter) at the time of his debut behind Elvis Luciano (TOR, 2019, (19 yrs, 44 days) and Jose Rijo (CIN, 194, 18 yrs, 328 days).
TODAY’S STARTER – #44 JESUS LUZARDO
- Jesus Luzardo, 25, will make his 10th start of the 2023 season and fourth career start against the San Francisco Giants today. Last faced on April 17 at home; took a no-decision, went 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
- In his most recent start on Tuesday, May 9 at Arizona, went 6.0 innings and allowed 1 runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.
- In his most recent start on Tuesday, May 16 vs. Washington, made his second consecutive outing of 6.0 innings and 1 run allowed. Struck out 7.
- Made 1 start at Oracle Park in 2020 – went 3.1 innings and allowed 6 runs on 9 hits as an Oakland A.
- In 2023, is 2-1 with a 4.41 ERA (16.1 IP/8 ER) in 3 away starts with 16 strikeouts vs. 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA (35.0 IP/10 ER) with 39 strikeouts in 56 starts at home. For his career, has gone 11-11 with a 4.08 ERA (187.1 IP/85 ER) in 40 gms (33 apps.) at home and a 5-9 record and 4.75 ERA (130.2 IP/69 ER) in 30 gms (21 apps.) away.
- 5 of 8 outings this year have been quality starts, the most among Marlins starters. In these outings is 2-1 with a 2.02 ERA (31.1/8 ER) with 33 strikeouts.
- Lefties are hitting .250 (11×44) vs. Luzardo in 2023 with 1 home run and a .653 OPS while right-handed batters are hitting .271 (42×155) with 5 home runs and an .806 OPS.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: SF looks to claim a victory in the finale of this three-game series and six-game homestand this afternoon… the Giants are 2-3 in rubber games thus far this season… today’s game also ends a stretch where the Giants have played 12 of their 16 games at Oracle Park dating to May 5…the Giants are 7-4 in the previous 11 home games in this stretch.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM…: The Giants lost yesterday’s game 1-0 with the one run being unearned…it’s the second time in the last two seasons the Giants have lost a game 1-0 without the run being earned…they did so on July 1, 2022 vs. the White Sox here at Oracle Park when he unearned run scored in the 9th inning…prior to that, the last two times it happened to the Giants both came in 2010.
FISH, OFF: Since 2015, the Giants have gone 23-28 (.451) vs. the Marlins, the club’s third-lowest winning percentage against a National League opponent in that span…SF has only fared worse against the Cardinals (21-30, .412) and Dodgers (65-81, .445) in that stretch.
FILET-O-FISH: LHP Alex Wood has been superb against the Marlins in his career with one of the lowest WHIPs against Miami in its franchise history (see below)…over his last 13 games (12 starts) against Miami, Wood is 8-2 with a 1.60 ERA (13er, 73.1ip)…his teams have gone 9-4 in those 13 games
HOW DO WE DIAL LONG DISTANCE AGAIN?: SF has not homered in its last four games, matching the longest streak of homerless games for the Giants since 2018 when they failed to homer in six consecutive games from September 10-16…SF had two such four-games stretches without a HR last season.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE: The Giants are 14-11 at Oracle Park this season compared to a 7-13 record on the road…the Giants have won 12 of their last 17 contests on the shores of McCovey Cove dating to April 22…the Giants .706 home winning percentage in this stretch third-best in the Majors behind the Rays (10-3, .769) and Dodgers (11-1, .917).
EVERYTHING YOU OWN IN THE BOX TO THE LEFT: The Giants enter play today having won six of their last seven games when facing a left-handed starter and seven of their last nine games vs. a LHSP…overall, the Giants are 8-6 vs. a lefty starter this year…vs. left-handed pitchers overall (starters or relievers), SF has a .653 OPS, 28th in the Majors…since April 22 it’s been a bit better at .722, tied for 20th of 30 MLB teams…the Giants have faced today’s Miami starter Jesús Luzardo once already this year, scoring three runs on six hits in 4.1 innings off him back on April 17 in Miami.
BOUNCE BACK: After a rough four-game series in Arizona last weekend for the Giants bullpen, they’ve really dialed in during this homestand…in the four-game series in the desert they had a 9.24 ERA (13er, 12.2ip), allowed 18 hits, walked seven and struck out nine…in five games on this homestand they’ve posted a 1.61 ERA (4er, 22.1ip), allowed 13 hits, walked eight and struck out 28.
TODAY’S STARTER – ALEX WOOD LHP #57
2023 RECORD: 0-0, 2.87 ERA
WITH THE GIANTS: Is in his third season with the Giants…signed a two-year Major League contract with San Francisco on December 1, 2021 after spending the 2021 season in a Giants uniform…today will mark his 246th game and 195th start in his career.
LAST START: Did not factor in the decision against the Phillies last Monday night as he tossed 4.2 innings and allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and four strikeouts.
VS. MARLINS: Has been outstanding against the Marlins in his career, posting one of the lowest WHIPs against Miami in its franchise history (see below)…has faced the Marlins 19 times in his career (16 starts) and has a 8-5 record with a 2.58 ERA (28er, 97.2ip), allowing 83 hits, 88 strikeouts and 20 walks…over his last 13 games (12 starts) against Miami, Wood is 8-2 with a 1.60 ERA (13er, 73.1ip)…his teams have gone 9-4 in those 13 games
GET ‘EM BITING: Wood’s first pitch strike percentage is 54.8% after five games this season…batters are swinging at that first pitch 21.9% of the time and have an overall swing and miss rate of 28.6%…last year Wood threw a first pitch strike 63.5% with batters swinging at the first pitch 33.8% of the time…opposing batters had a swing and miss rate of 24.8% overall last season vs. Wood.
HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining SF in 2021, Wood is 10-7 with a 3.92 ERA (68er, 156.0ip) in 29 home starts…SF is 20-9 in those 29 games…in his last five starts here at home, Wood is 0-2 with a 5.33 ERA (15er, 25.1ip) with a batting average against of .250 (24-for96)…SF is 3-2 in those five games.
TURN LEFT: Wood dominated left-handed batters last season, holding them to a .193 average (23-for-119) with five walks and 36 strikeouts…he allowed just three extra-base hits against lefties (one HR and two doubles) all year and posted a .464 OPS overall… right-handers hit .283 (109-for-385) with a .800 OPS…so far this season is dominating LHH to an average of .111 (2-for-18) with just one extra-base hit (double).
MY SALES PITCH: His go-to pitch last season was the sinker, as he used the pitch 45.5% of the time…he recorded 68 of his 131 strikeouts last year with his sinker…that was in contrast to his first season with SF in 2021 where he still used the sinker about the same percentage of the time (46.4%) but his main strikeout pitch was the slider as he recorded 91 of his 152 strikeouts (59.8%) that year.
ORDER UP…: In 2022, Wood limited opposing hitters to a .645 OPS and a .241 average the first time through the order…the second time through those numbers went up to a .706 OPS and a .256 average…the third time through opponents had a .941 OPS and a .326 average off Wood…this season opposing hitters have a .814 OPS and a .229 batting average and a .653 OPS and .280 batting average second time around.
PACING: Averaged 15.1 seconds between pitches when the bases were empty during the 2022 season, 25th-quickest in the Majors last year (league average is 18.1 seconds)…with runners on however, Wood slows it down a bit, averaging 21.3 seconds between pitches…that rate was still well under league average (23.3 seconds).
